So, my nieces, 14 and 11, were spellbound from the very first chapter. Me, I was bored to the point of quitting till about the halfway point then the So, my nieces, 14 and 11, were spellbound from the very first chapter. Me, I was bored to the point of quitting till about the halfway point then the action picked up and I enjoyed the rest. The grand mystery evidently kept them confused till the end, but I had it figured out from the opening setup. It kept going for them and once the flashbacks started, it was more interesting. The way Sachar gradually builds the solutions through two timelines was very interesting, and that is what caught my attention first. Next, I liked the way that Stanley’s growing courage and compassion are artfully shown. The ending was very good. There were elements along the way that were more sci-fi-ish than reality, but not so wild that they didn’t seem to fit in a youth novel. And the part about the curse… It made for a good story, but… that’s not how this world works. For a plot line, it was fun to tie families together for centuries. And while our actions do affect our families, a gypsy curse doesn’t. That might be something that you would want to discuss with younger readers. Other than that it was a clean read, that younger readers would enjoy. ...more
I would have loved this mystery as a child, even now I rather enjoyed it. The setting was rather exotic and leads to all sorts of interesting predicamI would have loved this mystery as a child, even now I rather enjoyed it. The setting was rather exotic and leads to all sorts of interesting predicaments for our heroes. Obviously, our heroes are over young for so many adventures, but I doubt children would pick up on that. I did appreciate the involvement of parents in the plot. So it was a fine adventure for a younger audience, and one I would recommend. ...more
This only gets three stars because of the last story in the book. There are only two. The first was so crazy that I'm not sure that children would eveThis only gets three stars because of the last story in the book. There are only two. The first was so crazy that I'm not sure that children would even find it that enjoyable. (Yes, I just complained about the logic behind a book about a detective penguin.) The last story seemed to recapture some of the fun of the first books in this series and redeemed it for me. ...more
Maybe, I've read too many of these lately, or I'm too old to get maximum enjoyment out of this continuation of the series. The spy angle was so compleMaybe, I've read too many of these lately, or I'm too old to get maximum enjoyment out of this continuation of the series. The spy angle was so completely unexplained, that the whole story just felt unfinished. ...more
It is dated. There are some terms used that would be considered offensive today. It is set just after the Civil War and a large theme is the prejudi It is dated. There are some terms used that would be considered offensive today. It is set just after the Civil War and a large theme is the prejudices that existed between the North and the South. As a children's mystery, it is charming. It's warm, just a bit spooky, full of good friendship, humorous, and adventure. ...more
It’s an interesting plot and an admirable lesson. Unfortunately, it’s very poorly written. It seems to be aimed at teenagers, but the reading level iIt’s an interesting plot and an admirable lesson. Unfortunately, it’s very poorly written. It seems to be aimed at teenagers, but the reading level is lower. That was only one of several inconsistencies. For example, the narrator is 16 and talks about other kids around doing this and that, but later it turns out they are in their twenties. Then the mystery was confusing so many points were hidden that even the mystery wasn’t very clear. I just didn’t like it....more
Rae plunges you right into the middle of all the action. It’s a bit abrupt. Probably it picks up from the last book, and it took me a while to figure Rae plunges you right into the middle of all the action. It’s a bit abrupt. Probably it picks up from the last book, and it took me a while to figure out what is going on. Now my review is based only on this book. It’s the last in a series, and the first and only one I’ve read of that series. Eventually, I caught the story line. The vocabulary is a bit weak. Maybe it just seems weak compared to the subject matter. That seemed a bit strong for a young audience. It’s heartbreaking, and while handled delicately, it brought in some very mature material. It was a Christian book, but there wasn’t a strong Gospel presentation in this book. It dealt more with growing in the Lord. Mostly, though, it was a teenage action book with a hint of a love story. Thanks to BJU Press/Journeyforth and NetGalley for the free book and a chance to write a review. ...more
Medieval adventure book for children. Well done, the lesson isn't so obvious it distracts from the story.Medieval adventure book for children. Well done, the lesson isn't so obvious it distracts from the story....more
Have you ever watched the Green Hornet, 1930’s version? This is it by another name. Really it is, even down to the vapor guns. The plot so predictabl Have you ever watched the Green Hornet, 1930’s version? This is it by another name. Really it is, even down to the vapor guns. The plot so predictable it doesn't compensate for the horrible dialog at all. There are just too many incredible escapes, and even worse solutions. It’s not really a detective story, because they and you know who did what, when and how. Every act is publicized in advance. It’s just really boring. Here's an example of the dialog from near the climax. “I regret that I cannot explain the method we are going to use to get into the burglar-proof vaults. Did it become public property, the manufacturers might invent some means of counteracting it." That gives a pretty good idea of the whole book. ...more
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